Local athletes gear for World Championships
Tlotlo Kebinakgabo | Friday January 13, 2017 11:53
Athletics has been the best performing sport code in the country and athletes would want to put the cherry on top with a better performance in London. Two athletes, Baboloki Thebe and Nijel Amos have already qualified for the London event by virtue of being African champions in their respective races.
Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) spokesperson, Roland Masalila told Mmegi Sport they expect their top athletes to qualify for the Championships before the end of April. He said they welcome former world 400m champion, Amantle Montsho back into the fold after serving a two-year ban.
“We must however, be honest with ourselves and not anticipate her to qualify for the World Championships early (and) with ease.
We expect her to qualify sometime around May,” Masalila noted.
Speaking to Mmegi Sport, the national 400m record holder, Isaac Makwala said his aim is to qualify for the World Championships as he wants to improve on his fifth place finish at the last competition.
“Last time I missed the podium, but this time around I am going for a medal. I want to run sub 44 before the World Championships as that can put me in a good condition for a medal position in London,” he said.
Makwala will go to Germany in May for intense competitions and to further his preparations. He holds a personal best of 43.74secs.
Another athlete who carries the nation’s hopes, Thebe, said he is preparing in such a way that he finishes in the top three in London. “I also want to run a personal best that can challenge the 400m world record,” he said.
Thebe’s previous season was ruined by a string of injuries but he said he has healed and is ready to go.
Rio Olympics 400m finalist, Karabo Sibanda said he is aiming to improve his time of 44.25s and qualify as soon as the season begins.
“My main focus for now is qualifying for the World Championships and hopefully grab a medal there,” he said. He further said he is happy on how the preparations are ongoing and stated that he expects them to intensify as time goes on.
However, the local athletes will not have an easy route in London as they will face fierce competition from the world best 400m athletes with the biggest threat coming from world champion, Wayde Van Niekerk.
The South African is the 400m world record holder and his graph has always been gradual on the up with a personal best every year in the last three season. In 2016 he smashed a long-standing world record as he stormed to 400m Olympic gold running 43.03secs.